Are you lazy? Do you know anyone who is lazy?
Although many of you won’t acknowledge it (and I’m sure the majority of you aren’t lazy! ), some of you will know someone who you believe to be lazy.
Science supports laziness
In general, those who are less physically active tend to be smarter than those who are, according to a study from Florida Gulf Coast University and the Journal of Health Psychology.
Psychologists have even come up with a fancy term for “laziness”: “need for cognition.” Individuals with this attribute generally engage in activities that offer high mental stimulation, such as brainstorming puzzles or debate, and they want disciplined and reasoned ways of viewing the world.
The data found that those with a high IQ got bored less easily, leading them to be less active and spend more time engaged in thought.
To measure the “need for cognition,” researchers employed a questionnaire for the study. Based on their responses to the survey, the 60 participants were divided into two groups: “thinkers” and “non-thinkers”.
Following that, activity trackers were worn by all participants for seven days, giving the researchers information about their routines.
According to the findings, people with high IQs were less likely to become bored, which made them less active and more likely to be thinking.
The highly active group found it difficult to stay focused while being forced to monitor their abstract thoughts. They opted to keep their minds occupied by engaging in sports and other physical activities instead.
Are lazy people really smarter and more successful?
This doesn’t make sense at all. It’s likely that our perception of laziness plays a role in the issue; after all, what we typically identify with being lazy may not actually be the case.
A quotation attributed to Bill Gates that states, “I always choose a lazy person to undertake a hard job, because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it,” has been repeated numerous times.
Although it’s debatable whether Gates actually stated that, the phrase is frequently used since it has some truth.
Obsessively critical thinkers, often known as those with a strong “demand for cognition,” are frequently concerned with minimising wasted acts and favour using effective procedures. So maybe it’s not the worst idea after all to hire a lazy individual.
They are likely to be strategic thinkers who can develop clever workarounds, solutions to difficulties, time-saving techniques, and fresh, original ideas for the business.